Street-car switch mechanism.



PATBNTED DEC. 20, 1904.

J. H. FITCH. STREET GAR SWITCH MEGHANISM.

APPLIATION FILED SEPT. 14.1904.

lNo MODEL.l

jm 76. numitm;

Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

JOHN H. FITCH, OF LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN.

STREET-CAR SWITCH IVIECHANISNI.

SPECIFICATION 'Omng part Of Letters Patent NO. 77 7,889, dated December 20, 1904.

Application filed September 14,1904. Serial No. 224,405.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ludington, county of Mason, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Street-Car Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in astreet-car switch of superior simplicity, economy, and utility; and it consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a view in side elevation illustrating features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of certain features of the construction. Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View in section on theline4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan View with parts of the car omitted.

In the drawings, a represents a portion of a car-frame, and a portion of the truck-frame.

c c denotes the rails, and l the switch-point of any ordinary or desired construction.

My invention has reference more particularly to, first, the mechanism connected with the switch-point for operating the same; second, the Amechanism attached to the car for actuating the mechanism connected with the switch.

To actuate the switch-point,I employ a rocking lever e, arranged between the rails of the track, with which is connected a rocking shaft f, provided at one extremity with the crankarm g, united to a connecting-rod t, connected with the switch-point CZ. The rocking lever e and the shaft f are preferably located in a suitable case 7l, the lever e projecting through one end of the case and fulcrumed therein, as at j, so that one end of the lever will project above the surface of the case and sufciently above the bed of the track to be engaged bya suitable implement attached to the car to tilt said lever, the opposite extremities of the lever e rising alternately as said lever is tilted. Attached to the lever e preferably is a locking-arm it' to engage a notched springZto lock bell-cranks are connected, as by rods a, with the shoes r. With the opposite ends of the bell-cranks are connected foot-levers n, in po-` sition for the motorman or driver of the car to readily engage the same to throw the bottom of the corresponding shoe r down into working position, so as to ride over the corresponding end of the rocking lever c and tilt said lever. Springs w are employed to normally elevate the bottom of the shoes r to lifted position. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. l.) It will readily be seen that as the lever e is tilted the shaft f is correspondingly tilted to rock its crank-arm g and shift the switchpoint.

That I claim as my invention is- 1. In a street-car switch the combination with a switch-point of a rock-shaft extending longitudinally of the track provided with a crank-arm at one end thereof connected with the switch-point, a tilting lever connected with the opposite end of said rock-shaft arranged to tilt in a direction transversely of the track, means to lock the tilting lever in a given position, and mechanism carried by a moving car to trip the tilting lever.

2. In a street-car switch the combination with a switch-point of a rock-shaft provided with a crank-arm at one end thereof, a rod connecting the point with the crank-arm, a tilting lever connected with the opposite end of the shaft arranged to tilt in a direction transversely to that of the shaft, a case for the tilting lever and rock-shaft, means within the case to lock the tilting lever in a given position, and means carried by a moving' car to actuate the tilting lever.

3. In a street-car switch mechanism a case, a tilting lever fulcrumed within the case to tilt in a direction transversely of the track, a rock- IOO shaft provided with a crank-arm at one end thereof connected at one end With the tilting lever intermediate the extremities ot' the lever, a crank-arm at the opposite end ot' said shaft connected with the switch-point, means Within the case to lock the tilting lever in a given position, and means carried by the moving car to engage one extremity of the tilting lever to actuate said lever.

4. 1n a street-car switch mechanism the combination of4 a case, a tilting lever, a connecting rock-shaft having a locking movement Within said case, means to connect the switch-point with one extremity of the rock-shaft, a notch-spring within the case and an arm connected with the tilting lever to engage said spring and hold the tilting lever in a given position.

. 5. -In a street-car switch mechanism the combination oi' a case, a tiltinglever arranged Within the case to tilt in a direction transversely of the track, and having its extremities arranged to alternately rise above the case, a shaft connected with the tilting lever extending longitudinally of the track, a spring with a crank-arm connected with a switch-lever, and means carried by a moving 'car to trip the tilting lever.

6. In a street-ear switch the ,combination With a switch-point 0i' V a rockshaft provided with a crank-armeonneeted With a switchpoint, a tilting lever connected With the rockshai't arranged -to tilt in a direction transversely oi' the track, means to rock the tilting lever in a given position, and mechanism carried by a moving car to trip the tilting lever, said mechanism comprising tripping-levers fulerumed intermediate their ends upon the car, bell-cranks connected with the upper ends of the tripping-levers, and foot-levers connected with the opposite ends of the bellcranks, respectively.

In testimony Whereoil I have signed this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN H. FITCH.

Witnesses:

R. R. VHEELER, HENRY SEEBA. 

